Arranged Marriage To The Infamous Billionaire Playboy
Born into luxury, Hermione Watson-Pierce has always felt like merely a pawn in her parents' ruthless game of power. She learned to suppress her emotions, earning herself the title of the "Ice Queen."
Just then, Aiden Mendes bursts into her life-a charming playboy known for his reckless reputation. Aiden chooses to cope with his inner turmoil through a lavish lifestyle, using his charisma and striking looks to keep others at bay.
A looming threat forces them to face a contracted marriage or risk losing their inheritance. When they first meet, Aiden is struck by an unexpected attraction, as if it were love at first sight. Yet, his notorious reputation precedes him, and Hermione makes no effort to hide her disdain.
As their contractual marriage evolves into a battle of wills, Aiden must work to melt Hermione's icy heart, proving that he is more than what meets the eye. But can he persuade her to rise above her prejudices and bravely pursue love?
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Chapter 1
AIDEN
Soft music floats in the background, complementing the ambiance and décor of the restaurant I've chosen for this occasion. The menus are tantalizing, the tables set to perfection, and the setting evokes a flavorful blend of romance. The lighting dances across Katherine's olive skin, enhancing her radiance.
Katherine is a stunning woman. She looks queenly in her attire: a shimmering turquoise spaghetti dress that clings to her body like a second skin. She's the kind of woman men would go weak in the knees for. However, tonight's outcome is an irony to the venue I've picked.
I anticipate her reaction as the silence lingers after I drop the bombshell. Her expression falls slowly, her mouth thinning into a flat line, following my announcement. I watch her with alertness as she twirls her fork and knife expertly on either side of her plate. She assesses me with a grave look that makes me contemplate bolting.
Fear the silent ones, they say. For they are the most brutal. The silence stretches on, and the tension is starting to grate on my nerves. I wait out her reaction nonetheless, bracing myself for which act she will unleash – the silent killer or the crazy bawler.
Finally, Katie clears her throat, setting her cutlery down. "So...this is where it ends, huh?"
"Yeah," I reply, my eyes scanning her face to read behind the mask of neutrality. "I'm sorry we didn't work out."
I'm not sorry, though. I know our relationship is bound to hit the rocks. We both know I have no intention of making a long-term commitment.
Katie smacks her lips. "Alright." She grabs her shoulder bag and rises from her chair, balancing the bag's handle across one shoulder. "It was worth a try," she croaks, her words limning hurt and disappointment.
Her chair creaks behind her as she steps away from the table, her gaze fixed on me. I'm grateful she takes the breakup in easy stride. My last ex's reaction was no comfort. She caused quite a scene, and I regretted not breaking up with her over a text.
But my code of ethics is to jilt a woman face-to-face. I believe breaking up a relationship over a text is insouciant and cowardly. And I'm no coward.
"If you ever feel lonely, you know how to reach me," Katie says.
I tilt my chin in acknowledgment. "Sure. Goodbye, Katherine."
She arches her eyebrows. "See you around, Mendes," she says, addressing me by my last name, and walking away from our table.
I heave a sigh in relief after she's gone.
"This went well, at least," I murmur beneath a relieved sigh.
With the wealth of experience I've accumulated from past breakups, I'm convinced I've earned an honorary Ph.D. in Understanding Women – or at the very least, a professor emeritus title in Women's Psychology!
I wave the waiter over to take the bill. After receiving the receipt, I leave the restaurant, not bothering that most of our orders have been left uneaten.
I didn't want to break up with her on an empty stomach; my home training was still intact. Yet, the words had been itching to be released, and I didn't realize when I blurted them out halfway through our meal.
I start the car's engine as soon as I get in, put on my shades, and speed out of the restaurant's parking space.
I drive at top speed to my next destination, feeling exhilarated that today's task went smoothly. I had expected worse.
Fortunately, there are no traffic cops on the road. Otherwise, driving at this speed would likely get my license revoked if I were pulled over.
The engine purrs beneath me as I bring the car to a halt. I get out, humming softly, and tapping my fingers rhythmically. The car beeps as the security lock engages, and I walk into the swimming establishment.
"Whose heart did you break this time?" a familiar voice asks, echoing across the empty swimming area.
I turn toward the sound of approaching footsteps, holding back a smile. My best friend since childhood, Raymond Stilinski, steps into view, clad in his training gear. He's a swimming instructor, coach, and owner of this building.
I often visit when I need space to reflect, during quiet hours when I know I'll find tranquility.
He often trains kids for leisure and competitions. He reaches me, extending a hand in greeting. We share a coded brotherly hug, slapping each other warmly across the back.
"It's been a while," Raymond remarks, smiling.
"Sure, it is." I glance around, noticing the modifications made to the building since my last visit. I'm glad to see Raymond's business thriving.
Raymond comes from an average family. We grew up together in an average neighborhood, attending the same school, until my mom got sick and left me in the care of my real father, who had been absent throughout my childhood-Alvin Dale Mendes, the founder and Chairman of MD Group and Entertainment.
My life changed overnight. I went from a simple life to one of luxury and limelight.
"Business is going well, huh?" I ask Raymond, nodding at the new additions to his building. He grins.
"Yeah. You haven't answered my question, though."
"Do I only come here when I've broken someone's heart?"
Raymond raises an eyebrow. "It's either a breakup or something else."
"What else? Do I only visit when I've messed up? What if I miss my friend?"
Raymond snorts. "As if. You're not that sentimental."
He turns away, arranging life jackets. "How's Katie doing?" he asks over his shoulder.
"You're right," I sigh. "I only come here after a breakup."
Raymond whips around, surprise etched on his face. "You and Katie are over? I thought you two were cool. She's a great girl."
I run a hand through my hair. "Yeah, she is. That's why I had to let her go."
"Nonsense!" Raymond hisses, charging towards me to deliver another of his motivational speeches.
I duck sideways and sprint toward the changing room. I strip down to my briefs and head out to swim.
Raymond watches me in silence as I swim laps. He finishes cleaning and waits calmly for me to finish on one of the benches.
"What's my tab?" I ask when I step out of the pool, dripping wet.
Raymond tosses a towel at me, and I catch it mid-air before it hits my face. "Thanks, man." I quickly dry my hair and hang the towel over my shoulder.
Raymond's scrutinizing gaze prompts me to ask, "What?"
He considers sharing his concerns before shaking his head. "Don't worry about it. Are you done?" He asks, standing up from his bench.
"Yeah, I'm done," I reply, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.
"Let's hit town then. It's been a long day," Raymond mutters under his breath.
I agree. "I'll be out in five," I say, heading to change, and we head out.
It's around 8 p.m. when I pull into my dad's driveway. Even after living with him for over 13 years, calling him "Dad" still feels off.
I scrunch my nose in disgust, turning off the engine. Ray and I had a blast drinking and catching up. To be precise, I tried to drink myself into exhaustion, but Ray, always the voice of reason, wouldn't let me. He reminded me I had to drive home. Nonetheless, I still had a great time letting loose and connecting with my friend.
Now, the fun's over. It's time to face reality.
When I moved to this mansion at 15, I was thrilled about living in luxury. But my excitement was short-lived. I soon realized that wealth isn't everything. Affluence doesn't equal happiness. There's a lot of drama that comes with wealthy living.
If I could turn back time, I'd go back to the good old days when it was just me and my mom. Our small house and quaint neighborhood were perfect. The simple life brought me more peace and happiness than I've ever known since moving here.
I step out of my car, locking the door. Another car pulls into the driveway as I get out. I lean against my car, waiting for the owner of the exotic black car to step out.
I know who it is – Beatrice Mendes, my stepmother. She exits her car with her usual flair, showcasing her wealth. Her expensive fur coat and arrogant demeanor make her look condescending.
Her driver opens the door, and she scowls at the sight of me. She sweeps away, dashing inside without acknowledging me. She'd rather I didn't exist. I'm an unwanted guest in her home. However, it's her loss.
Whether she likes it or not, I'm here to stay.
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9.0
Ashlyn was supposed to be just a fragile college student, selling her rare blood to a vicious crime syndicate enforcer to keep his dying sister alive.
But the dynamic shattered when Alex returned from a two-month disappearance. He stepped into the penthouse covered in dirt and blood, sporting a horrific, jagged knife wound slashed completely across his face.
Knowing exactly how to exploit his insecurities, Ashlyn played the role of the terrified victim to perfection. She screamed, pushed against his chest, and called him a terrifying monster. Humiliated and enraged by her blatant disgust, Alex violently smashed a marble table and kicked her out. He forced her out into a freezing, torrential rainstorm without a coat, vowing to kill her if she ever showed her face again.
What the ruthless enforcer didn't know was that her pathetic, trembling tears were a flawless, calculated lie. She wasn't a helpless, greedy girl. She was a cold-blooded corporate mastermind hiding from a family of elite assassins. She desperately needed his impenetrable penthouse fortress to stay alive, and she knew the only way to secure her place wasn't to ask for it, but to make him beg for her return.
Three days later, his sister's organs began to fail, and the hospital's blood bank ran dry.
"I'll pay you whatever you want. Just get here."
Listening to the desperate, broken voice of the monster over her burner phone, Ashlyn smiled coldly in the dark. The trap had snapped shut, and he had just handed her all the power.
9.4
Six years ago, Breanna was shoved into a pitch-black hotel suite by her own uncle.
She was forced to endure a brutal night with a drugged stranger just to keep her grandmother's ventilator running.
Nine months later, she gave birth in a cold underground clinic.
But her uncle immediately snatched the crying newborn from her trembling hands, coldly announcing the baby had died.
For six years, Breanna lived in agonizing grief, working as a lowly hotel cleaner just to survive.
But a cruel setup threw her directly into the path of Elliot Finch, the arrogant billionaire from that dark night.
He did not recognize the woman whose life he had completely ruined.
Instead, he looked at her like she was rotting garbage, had his guards drag her into a wet alley, and mercilessly got her fired.
"If I ever see your face again, I will make sure you cannot get a job cleaning toilets."
Breanna was suffocating from the injustice, stripped of her dignity and her family's only lifeline.
Yet, when she instinctively protected a traumatized little boy from bullies, she discovered he was Elliot's son.
The boy clung to her neck, crying and desperately begging his father to let her stay.
But Elliot just threw a massive check at her chest, violently accusing her of brainwashing a sick child for a meal ticket.
Looking at the toxic disgust in his eyes, something inside Breanna finally broke.
She picked up the check, ripped the millions into tiny shreds, and let them rain down on his expensive shoes.
"Keep your dirty money."
She turned her back on the crying boy and the stunned billionaire, deciding she would no longer be their victim.
9.5
Bridget left the office early on her anniversary, her pocket heavy with a custom velvet ring box meant for her fiancé.
But when she pushed open the bedroom door, she found him tangled in their bed with her best friend, Chloe.
"Bridget! Wait, it's not what it looks like!" Jacob stammered, his eyes wide with panic.
"Evidence," Bridget stated coldly, snapping a photo of their naked bodies before fleeing into the freezing New York night.
Desperate to numb the betrayal, she got blackout drunk at an underground lounge and threw herself at a dark, terrifyingly handsome stranger.
She woke up in a penthouse suite alone, finding only a limitless black credit card left on the nightstand.
Humiliated and feeling like a cheap escort, she ran away, swearing to forget the nightmare.
But the nightmare had just begun. When she rushed into the office, she discovered the stranger was Jevon Rocha—the ruthless billionaire CEO of her company.
He didn't fire her. Instead, he trapped her in a twisted, obsessive power game, forcing her into his private life and demanding she report to his penthouse.
Bridget couldn't understand why a ruthless billionaire was so dangerously fixated on a low-level employee.
Until she stumbled upon his secret social media account and saw a crayon drawing of a little kid, captioned with a single word: "Finally."
A wave of absolute horror washed over her. He wasn't just playing games; he was hiding a secret child and a messy, high-stakes family drama.
She refused to be the naive collateral damage in a billionaire's twisted life.
Trembling, Bridget hit "Block" on his profile, determined to escape his dangerous web.
8.0
Eloise Ferguson was the legitimate daughter of a powerful Senator, yet she was treated like a hysterical burden by her own family.
In her past life, her parents forced her to marry a sadistic billionaire for political funding.
When she resisted, they locked her in a psychiatric facility, drugged her, and left her to die in restraints while her "fragile" cousin Jaylene stole her life.
She never understood why her mother hated her so fiercely.
Why did her mother treat her brother Cortez and her cousin Jaylene like absolute royalty, while throwing her own flesh and blood to the wolves?
Opening her eyes again, Eloise found herself back at age twenty-two, trapped in a restroom at a charity gala.
Escaping her abuser, she used her awakened mystic abilities to look at her family's life forces.
What she saw made her blood run cold.
Thick, red biological cords connected her mother directly to both Cortez and Jaylene, intertwining in a perfect symbiotic bond.
They weren't cousins. They were illegitimate twins born from her mother's secret affair.
Eloise was the only true outsider in her own home.
The realization hit her like a physical blow. Her entire life of abuse was just a cover-up for a nest of parasites stealing her father's name and her inheritance.
But this time, she refused to be their victim.
Armed with an unchallengeable executive order she blackmailed out of the United States President, Eloise crushed the hidden microphone in her bedroom.
"Game on, Mother."
8.2
She was the sacrifice-married off to the city's most ruthless billionaire to save a family that never loved her. But when she discovered his betrayal with her own sister, everything shattered.
Pregnant, penniless, and abandoned, Bella Hart disappeared into the night, vowing never to be powerless again.
Few years later, she returns as the CEO of an international empire, more powerful than anyone imagined possible. Her secret weapon? The little boy with piercing grey eyes who calls her "Mommy, he is the son of the man who destroyed her.
Caleb Black spent years drowning in regret, searching for the wife he threw away. Now she's back, untouchable and unforgiving. He'll do anything to reclaim what he lost his wife, his son, his chance at redemption.
But Bella didn't return to forgive, she returned to conquer.
With enemies circling, old wounds bleeding, and a passion that refuses to die, Bella must decide: Will she let the man who broke her back into her heart? Or will she destroy him the way he once destroyed her? In a world of billion-dollar deals and deadly secrets, love is the most dangerous gamble of all.
8.9
Harlow had endured three years of a loveless marriage, funding her husband Beck's life and secretly writing the AI code that saved his failing company.
But when she walked into her family's private memorial library, she found Beck having sex with his mistress, Fallon, right on top of her late father's antique desk.
Instead of showing guilt, Beck proudly announced that Fallon had given him a son and heir.
He demanded Harlow accept the bastard child and stay married just to maintain his perfect public image.
To make matters worse, Fallon was actually a corporate spy from a rival company, actively stealing Harlow's family legacy while Beck willingly handed over the company secrets.
When Harlow demanded an immediate divorce, Beck laughed in her face.
"I will never sign the divorce papers! I will drag this out in court until you bleed dry!"
Looking at her father's crushed pocket watch and the two parasites desecrating her sacred home, Harlow's shock turned into a freezing, absolute clarity.
How could she have spent three years supporting a selfish hypocrite who would so ruthlessly destroy her parents' legacy?
Harlow calmly packed her bags, threw his bespoke suits in the trash, and walked out the door.
She went straight to Fitzgerald Monroe, the most ruthless billionaire corporate lawyer in New York, ready to use her secret identity to make Beck lose everything.